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Category: materials – Page 34

Korean team unveils fine structure of magnons for neuromorphic devices

A Korean research team has succeeded in securing a basic technology for further improving the completeness level of neuromorphic devices. Their paper is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science observed the fine structure of the magnon, which is attracting attention as a key material for neuromorphic devices. As areas that are approximately 1,000 times finer than before were observed successfully, it is expected that the results will enable the design of more sophisticated neuromorphic devices.

Neuromorphic devices are next-generation semiconductors designed to mimic the structure of the human brain. They process information by mimicking the way neurons generate signals and transmit them to other neurons through synapses.

Active matter: Scientists create three-dimensional ‘synthetic worms’

Researchers at the University of Bristol have made a breakthrough in the development of “life-like” synthetic materials which are able to move by themselves like worms.

Scientists have been investigating a new class of materials called “active matter,” which could be used for various applications from to .

Compared to inanimate matter—the sort of motionless materials we come across in our lives every day, such as plastic and wood—active matter can show fascinating life-like behavior.

Addressing the use of generative AI in academic writing

The rise of generative AI has been a major disruptive force in academia. Academics are concerned about its impact on student learning. Students can use generative AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, to complete many academic tasks on their behalf. This could lead to poor academic outcomes as students use ChatGPT to complete assessments, rather than engaging with the learning material. One particularly vulnerable academic activity is academic writing. This paper reports the results of an active learning intervention where ChatGPT was used by students to write an academic paper. The resultant papers were then analysed and critiqued by students to highlight the weaknesses of such AI-produced papers. The research used the Technology Acceptance Model to measure changing student perceptions about the usefulness and ease of use of ChatGPT in the creation of academic text.

‘Water tweezers’: New technique generates topological structures with gravity water waves

A team of physicists at Fudan University, working with colleagues from Henan University, both in China, and from Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore and Donostia International Physics Center, in Spain, has developed a way to generate topological structures in surface water using gravity water waves. In their study published in Nature, the group used their technique to generate structures such as wave vortices, skyrmions and Möbius strips.

Prior research has shown that various types of waves can be used to achieve desired goals in a variety of applications; , for example, are used to capture and manipulate individual or groups of molecules to create materials or test molecular properties. Sound waves can be used to control much larger particles, or even objects, such as the membrane in a stereo speaker.

For this new study, the research team found a way to generate topological structures on the surface of water by taking advantage of the noise that develops when waves are laid on top of one another, giving them topological properties that can be used to generate wave fields.

Physicists Unlock a New Way to Bend Light, Bringing Superlenses and Cloaking Closer to Reality

Scientists have found a way to achieve negative refraction, using carefully arranged atomic arrays instead of engineered metamaterials. VERY GOOD!

Ask the researchers: Do you understand the spacetime background of atomic arrays interactions?

Scientific research guided by correct theories can enable researchers to think more.

Engineers identify key obstacle to longer-lasting batteries

Lithium nickel oxide (LiNiO2) has emerged as a potential new material to power next-generation, longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries. Commercialization of the material, however, has stalled because it degrades after repeated charging.

University of Texas at Dallas researchers have discovered why LiNiO2 batteries break down, and they are testing a solution that could remove a key barrier to widespread use of the material. They published their findings in the journal Advanced Energy Materials.

The team plans first to manufacture LiNiO2 batteries in the lab and ultimately to work with an industry partner to commercialize the technology.

Atomic arrays enable negative refraction, bypassing metamaterial limitations

For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that negative refraction can be achieved using atomic arrays—without the need for artificially manufactured metamaterials.

Scientists have long sought to control light in ways that appear to defy the laws of nature.

Negative refraction—a phenomenon where light bends in the opposite direction to its usual behavior—has captivated researchers for its potential to revolutionize optics, enabling transformative technologies such as superlenses and cloaking devices.

To keep hardware safe, new ‘Oreo’ method cuts out the code’s clues

Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research) at Osaka University have discovered that temperature-controlled conductive networks in vanadium dioxide significantly improve the sensitivity of silicon devices to terahertz.

Terahertz radiation refers to the electromagnetic waves that occupy the frequency range between microwaves and infrared light, typically from about 0.1 to 10 terahertz (THz). This region of the electromagnetic spectrum is notable for its potential applications across a wide variety of fields, including imaging, telecommunications, and spectroscopy. Terahertz waves can penetrate non-conducting materials such as clothing, paper, and wood, making them particularly useful for security screening and non-destructive testing. In spectroscopy, they can be used to study the molecular composition of substances, as many molecules exhibit unique absorption signatures in the terahertz range.